


Keeping Warm

by Sp0rkPlug



Category: Red Dead Redemption (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Flirting, Kissing, Reader-Insert, Romantic Fluff, Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 16:55:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20642528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sp0rkPlug/pseuds/Sp0rkPlug
Summary: You joined up with the Van Der Linde gang while they were camped out near Blackwater and now the law chased you up into the snowy mountains after that botched ferry job. The brewing tension between you and Arthur comes to a head as the gang plans their next move.





	Keeping Warm

**Author's Note:**

> Some fluff I started but I haven't quite decided where to go with it yet, I'll add to it when I make up my mind.

It had been a few months since you joined up with the Van Der Linde gang, like so many among them you were a lost soul with nowhere else to go when they found you and gave you a home and a family. You were fitting in nicely, mending clothes and committing petty crimes to bring in money. Then everything went to shit in Blackwater, you weren't sure what exactly happened and you got a different answer from everyone you asked so you just stopped asking. All you knew was things went pear-shaped in a big way and we needed to leave camp immediately. You remembered the incredible efficiency Grimshaw used to get everything broken down and packed up in minutes. She's done this before, too many times. The long ride up into the mountains being pelted with snow and ice was its own special hell, not knowing if you were going to get caught, or freeze to death like poor Jenny. Making it up to Colter was a welcome relief, you weren't out of the woods yet but here you were able to lick your wounds and get some rest while Dutch and Hosea worked out what to do next.  
  
So here you sit, in this cabin shivering next to a fire that was no match for the bitter cold, when the door opened and in walked Arthur, covered in snow. “Mornin’ folks” he said. Your heart beat a little faster the moment he walked in. It was even worse when his eyes met yours, “Y/N how you holdin’ up?”  
  
“Just fine,” you replied, “considering...”

“Considerin’ what?” He asked, he knew what the answer was. 

“Considerin’ I'm ready get in this fire just to stop shiverin’ for a second.” You replied.

Arthur laughed, “Try to resist the urge, we'll be out of here soon as this snow thaws a bit, don't you worry.”

You smiled, you couldn't help it. Arthur had become a friend to you, and after that whole mess in Blackwater he made it a point to check in on you. Maybe he felt bad that you had just joined up and everything went to hell in a hand basket. Mary-Beth seemed to think it was something else, she never outright said it, but the wistful look in her eyes when you two ate together or shared a laugh by the fire spoke for her. And the book! When he brought you a book you thought she might start stitching “Mrs. Y/N Morgan” into your shirts. You'd be lying to yourself if it didn't make you wonder too. One day you mention how painfully boring camp can be sometimes and the very next time he goes out he comes back with a book he “found”. You tried not to overthink it and enjoyed having something to pass the time for once.

The next day they boys headed out to the O’Driscoll camp, Dutch got wind that they were planning on robbing a train and you knew they weren’t heading over there for tea. It had been several hours and you were trying not to worry. Arthur and the boys heading off for hours or even days at a time wasn't uncommon, but after that mess at Blackwater everyone was on edge and them being gone for so long wasn't helping.

You sat in that cabin huddled around the fire with the women and Hosea, trying to read your book in a vain attempt to shut out the worry gnawing at the back of your mind, and just as you were about to read the same paragraph for the fourth time you heard the commotion outside. Hosea was on his feet before anyone when Charles shouted from outside that they were back. The sense of relief in the cabin was palpable when the door opened and they all poured in to warm themselves by the fire before heading off to get some rest. Arthur walked in looking weary but triumphant and seemed glad to see you.

“How'd you boys make out?” Hosea asked.

“Oh very well,” Dutch replied, “we found plans for a train job the O’Driscolls were gonna pull and Arthur here found the dynamite they were gonna use.” He said giving Arthur a hearty pat on the back. You knew Dutch was like a father to Arthur and it was never more apparent than in moments like this.

Arthur made his way over to you sort of unexpectedly, he could have taken any place by the fire, he didn't need to step over Jack and squeeze in next to you. Hosea handed him a bottle of whiskey to take the chill off and he turned to you, "How's the book comin' along, uh, Anna Karen-a?" he said looking down at the cover while the book laid on your lap.

"Karenina." You corrected, he had yet to pronounce the Russian name of the book he gave you correctly, but he tried nonetheless, "It's quite good, a bit long but I can't seem to put it down."

"Yeah? What's it about?" He asked. You start to tell him a slightly condensed version of the tragic tale of Countess Anna Karenina, at least as much as you've read so far, when you spot Mary-Beth in the corner of your eye with that look on her face. You want to say something but everyone else in the cabin seems so wrapped up in their own conversations or heading to their own cabins to get some sleep that you'd rather not draw attention to it. Instead you let yourself enjoy being the object of his undivided attention as he listens intently and asks questions, managing to mangle even the simplest Russian name in the book.

The cabin is mostly empty except for a passed out Uncle and you and Arthur when you realize how late it is, and how long you and Arthur had been talking. "I suppose I should get some rest, Grimshaw’s still got plenty for us to do, even out here" you said.

"Sure," he said. "You, uh, want me to walk you back?" The cabin where the women and Jack slept was on the other side of the camp from Arthur's cabin, and he looked ready to pass out.

"It's not far, and you look like you need some sleep." 

He bristled at your concern, "I can walk ya 10 feet” he said gesturing in the direction of your cabin.

"Fine", you said, "walk me back". If he'd rather walk you across camp than get some sleep, that was his decision.

He got up and the both of you headed out into the cold. What seemed like it might have been a sweet walk back to your cabin turned out to be the two of you shivering against the cold. You reached the door to your cabin and turned to the tired, shivering man. “Ok, you walked me over, now promise me you’ll get some rest" you said.

"Again, with this?" he said with a laugh.

You reached out and squeezed his arm, "Good night, Arthur. Thanks for walking with me." you saw his cheeks get a little redder and your heart leapt up into your throat.

"Good night, miss (Y/L/N)" he said with a tip of his hat as he turned to walk away. You caught yourself watching him walk away for a moment before pushing the cabin door open and going inside to get some rest. You thanked your lucky stars Mary-Beth was already asleep, Lord knows what she would have done if she witnessed all that.

The next day you woke up to see that the snow on the ground was beginning to thaw, for the first time in you didn't know how many days the sky cleared and you could actually see the sun! You rushed through your chores that morning, as least as much as you could while still doing them well enough to satisfy Grimshaw. You couldn't wait to get outside, just for a bit to enjoy the warm sunshine.

You found Miss Grimshaw sitting by the fire in her cabin, working on some tonics. “Miss Grimshaw...,” you ask timidly.

“Yes, Miss (Y/L/N)” she responds without looking up from her work. 

“I was wondering if...if it would be alright if I went for a walk. My chores are all done and this is the nicest day we've had here.”

She stopped working and looked up at you, then off the side, as if she was trying to think of anything that needed to be done. “I suppose that's alright, don't go too far, and take a gun with you. You can shoot, can't you?”

“Yes ma’am, Arthur taught me.”

She rolled her eyes, “Of course he did. Well, get on and be back before it gets dark, we can't spare any men to go lookin’ for you if ya get lost.”

“Yes ma’am.” You said, hurrying out of her cabin before she could change her mind or think of something else that needed to be done. You went back to your cabin to get the holster and gun you bought yourself last month. It wasn't anything special but you were happy to have something practical that you bought with your own money...as much as money you pick-pocketed counts as being yours.

Sufficiently armed, you started off toward the woods near camp. It felt good to stretch your legs and get some sunshine on your face. Now that the weather was clearing up this really was a beautiful place, if you didn't think it would be shot down immediately you might suggest staying out here. Somewhere remote and difficult to reach might keep you out of reach of the Pinkertons a bit longer. But you also knew that this was hostile country, and with a group your size survival might be more trouble than its worth.

You were reaching the outer edge of the settlement at Colter when you spotted a figure in a blue jacket leaning against one of the buildings. _Arthur, his jacket brings out his eyes_. You pushed the thought from your mind before you found yourself thinking too long about his blue eyes. He must have heard you approach and turned to face you, “Hey,” he said with a smile, there goes your heart again, fluttering in your chest, “what’r you doin’ out here?”

“Just takin’ a walk, it's such a beautiful day.” You said looking off in the distance. You both did and did not like how nervous he made you sometimes.

“Yeah” He said, “almost makes ya wanna stay out here.”

You nodded in agreement, at least you weren't the only one thinking it.

Arthur finished rolling the cigarette in his hand and lit it. You hadn't had one of those since Blackwater. You held out your hand, as if to ask for one.

“Sorry darlin’” he said taking it out of his mouth, “this is my last one.”

You pouted, which typically worked, on Arthur at least.

“I promise, this is all I got” he said holding his hands up in surrender, the freshly rolled cigarette between his fingers.

As soon as the idea came to you you snatched it away from him, quick as a cat. You were becoming a pretty decent pickpocket and it showed. Taking your reward, you took a long, satisfying drag before taking out of your mouth and tilting your head to exhale the smoke upwards. “I gotta say Arthur, you roll a damn fine cigarette.”

“Give me that back!” He said reaching for the cigarette in your hand.

“No, I don't think so.” You said as you parried, turning to keep your prize from his grasp.

“That is my last cigarette!” He said in protest.

“No, this _was_ your last cigarette.” You said playfully, you hadn't truly planned on smoking his entire last cigarette but you were curious as to how he planned to get it back. “What are you gonna do about it?" you asked, challenging him as you clenched the cigarette in your teeth.

He looked at you and narrowed his eyes, you could see the wheels spinning behind his steely gaze, he was sizing you up, trying to see how he could outsmart you. Then, you saw a mischievous grin form across his lips.

Oh, this was interesting. 

He took a step forward, calmly, as if he were approaching a deer in the woods.

You stepped back and found yourself backed up against a wall, aware that you suddenly had nowhere to go.

He stepped forward again until he was close enough for you to smell the smoke on his coat and feel the heat of his breath on your skin.

You swallowed hard and tried not to look as nervous as you were, you officially had no idea where the hell he was going with this.

He raised a hand and gently, too gently, he brushed the hair out of your face. Your heart was in your throat, the gentle touch of his hand on your cheek was exhilarating, you found yourself wanting to reach out but kept your hands at your sides. It occurred to you that he was attempting to disarm you with this, and it was fucking working. The cigarette in your mouth was an afterthought as his fingers lingered on your cheek. Your mouth parted slightly as you tried to maintain your composure under his gaze.

"Arthur! Where'd you get off too?!" You heard Dutch yell in the distance.

"Arthur!!" Dutch yelled again, getting closer.

And in the blink of an eye with a flick of the wrist, the hand that lingered on your cheek snatched the cigarette out of your mouth, put it right back in his and stepped back from you. 

"Over here!" he called out to Dutch, he turned to you and looked smug as hell. He won, that slick bastard. You remembered that he's been conning and thieving far longer than you, it was hubris to think you could suddenly outsmart him at something he's been doing his entire life. You also realized that he could read you better than you thought he could, and you weren't sure how to feel about that.

"There you are," Dutch said as he rounded the corner to see Arthur looking smug and you up against the wall of one of the abandoned cabins looking flustered and annoyed. "What's going on here?" he asked, fatherly as hell.

"Nothin'," Arthur said turning toward him, "what do ya need?"

"We're plannin' out that train robbery and we need you." he said, "Will you excuse us, Miss (Y/L/N)?" he said to you, in a polite tone that indicated that he wasn't really asking as he led Arthur away.

You waved at the both of them as they walked away, and Arthur turned to look at you one last time and smiled before heading back into camp. You always wondered why he was so content to have people think he was Dutch's dumb enforcer and now you saw, he was smarter than he let on and able to turn it against people when he needed to. That would be the last time you underestimated him.

You wandered in the woods around Colter for a bit, always keeping the camp within eye shot. You didn't want to get lost, and Grimshaw wasn't lying about them not being able to spare the men. Besides, if you got back too late you wouldn't get a good spot by the fire and the nights were still plenty cold.

_Arthur would probably make room by him._

Arthur. That bastard. Why was this bothering you so much? Was it that he got the better of you? That he played you? Or at least it felt like he did. Why were you wandering around these woods trying to distract yourself from wanting to either slap him or jump his bones, or both?

The sun started to dip lower in the sky and you thought it was time to start heading back, you saw Karen on patrol near the edge of camp.

"Hey Karen" you said with a wave.

"Hey (Y/N), how was the walk?" 

"Just fine, felt good to get out of camp for a while. I saw a family of deer, I was gonna tell Charles about it, see if he can catch one for the pot." You said, you saw that look come across Karen’s face, like she knew there was something you weren’t saying.

“You know, Arthur headed out this way earlier, did ya run into him?” she asked.

“Yeah, I saw him” you replied, very short and Karen noticed.

“And?” Karen said, probing for more.

“I don’t know.” you said, sighing. “I wish I knew what he was thinking, he’s so - ”

“Oh, I know what he’s thinkin’,” Karen interjected with a knowing wink, “He doesn’t look at anyone else the way he looks at you, he practically trampled little Jack trying to get over and ask you about that book you been readin’ and I bet he couldn’t tell you a damn thing about any one of the books Mary-Beth’s got her nose in. I think he’s sweet on you."

“Don't be - it's nothin’ like that. We're friends, that's it.” You said, a lie, at least to yourself. Wouldn't be the first time.

“Mmhmm” she said, maybe you weren't a great liar. “You know Arthur's one of the better prospects around here.”

“Yeah around here’s the problem.”

"What's that supposed to mean?" Karen asked, defensively. 

"Nothing, it's just that - Mac and Davey are dead, Sean's in jail, John got himself lost and nearly eaten by wolves. I can't sit here every time he rides off with a knot in my stomach, wonderin' if this'll be the time he doesn't come back to me." 

"You sure you ain't doin' that already?" Karen asked. "Look, it ain't none of my business but in my experience, at a certain point you just don't have a choice and from the looks of things you two are past that point. I've known Arthur a long time, that ain't how he treats his friends."

You looked over at where Arthur was standing, talking to Javier and Bill. "Shit, Karen." you said, utterly defeated. She was right and you hated it. You joined up with this gang because you had nowhere else to go and while it was dangerous, you didn't care much about getting hurt or killed trying to survive. But this, this was scary. Now you had something to lose, the thought alone made you want to run for the hills.

"Yeah, shit." she said laughing, "It's gettin' late, go get some dinner. I got a couple more hours till Javier takes over."

You left Karen to her duties and walked into camp to get some food. You went to bed early that night, you wanted to avoid Arthur until you figured out how you felt or rather how you wanted to feel. You knew he noticed and tried not to worry yourself with what he might be thinking.

The next morning the thaw continued and your time at Colter was coming to an end, the train robbery was set to happen tomorrow and Dutch sent Arthur and a couple of the guys out before the sun to make sure that O'Driscoll camp was picked clean of supplies before we moved on. Grimshaw sent you to help Pearson break down some of the game Charles brought in. He tracked down a couple of the deer you spotted yesterday just after dawn and you were more than a little proud of yourself for helping to feed the camp in some small way. Pearson was still deep in the bottle, he didn't usually drink this much but he seemed to have a hard time shaking off the stress of the recent events. Grimshaw was, of course, aware of this and asked you discretely to make sure he stayed dry while you two were working.

You had been working for a few hours and between the heat of the fire in the shed and the hard work of lifting and butchering a couple of deer, you actually broke a sweat and had to take your coat off. Pearson's bottle of hooch was stashed securely and you had somehow kept him away from it all morning. You were were up to your elbows in deer entrails when you heard Arthur ride back in and hitch his horse and tried to ignore the commotion. You had been working steadily all morning without a single thought given to Arthur or those pesky feelings you had and it was a welcome reprieve, that is, until he poked his head into the shed where you and Pearson were working.

"Hey (Y/N), can talk to you for a second?" He asked, motioning for you to come outside.

"Yeah, give me a minute" you responded, so much for avoiding him. You grabbed a rag and wiped off what you could, trying to make yourself less of a sweaty, blood-soaked mess. Putting your coat back on you took a breath and walked over to the side of the shed where he was waiting.

"What's goin' on?" you asked.

"I got ya somethin'" he said with a self-satisfied smile and pulled a pack of Premium Cigarettes out of his pocket.

You gasped and snatched the pack out of his hand, a whole pack of Premium Cigarettes. All for you. "Arthur!" you exclaimed, opening the pack to see that it was still completely full. "You shouldn't have!"

"I figured this might stop you from stealin' mine" he said.

"Oh, but where's the fun in that?" you said putting the pack in your pocket, "You gotta stop doin' stuff like this."

"Like what?" he asked.

"Bringin' me stuff, folks are gonna start thinkin' you might be sweet on me." The words were out before you could stop yourself. The moments that followed felt like they stretched on forever as you watched them land.

He tilted his head and a pocket-sized smile crept across his typically stern features as he reached out caress your cheek, tracing his thumb along your cheekbone.

"Yeah, that would just be crazy, why would I be sweet on some girl that just worries about me and steals my cigarettes?"

"Arthur, I - " his lips were on yours before you could finish your thought. He pushed his tongue into your mouth and you moved your body into his, wrapping your arms around him as you felt his hands go to your back and waist as he wrapped his arms around you. For a moment the bustle of camp and the doubting voice in your head all quieted down at once as you felt engulfed in him. Every nerve and inch of skin on your body came alive and you wanted to dive deeper, to have him carry you to his cabin and be consumed by him. At some point you closed your eyes, probably when he started kissing you, and as you pulled away you opened them and the world came flooding back to you. The camp, the shed that blessedly shielded the two of you from everyone else, the dried sweat and blood on your skin, it all rematerialized as you pulled back and looked at his face.

Words, you should say words. Which ones? Fuck, Pearson, how long have I been gone?

Your mouth opened and you pushed the words out, “I...I have to...Pearson might have found...Grimshaw’s...gonna kill me.”

“You’re gonna have to let go then” he said, his voice deep and silky like caramel, and then you wanted to put your mouth on his all over again. You realized you had wrapped your arms around him as far as they could go, the two of you were intertwined standing there. You felt his finger trace a line down the center of your back. Stop goddamnit you wanted to say to him, you relaxed your grip on him and stepped back and felt his hands sliding off your body. You wanted to say more, something about the moment, what happened, but there were no words available to you. You walked back around the shed and inside, praying you looked calmer than you felt. You didn’t turn around but you knew he watched you walk away.

Pearson was just about finished butchering the deer he’d been working on, “You’d better get going if that’s going to be done in time for supper.” He said in a raspy voice gesturing toward the deer you had half finished. You nodded and got right back into it, using the hard labor to distract yourself from what had just happened a minute ago, a few feet away from where you were standing.

At dinner the two of you acting normally, or at least what seemed normal. It was as if you had an unspoken agreement that what happened should remain between the two of you for now.

That night you slept fitfully, you didn’t know if it was the kiss, or the impending train robbery but you couldn’t quiet your mind. Briefly you wondered what might happen if you walked across camp and into Arthur’s cabin, but you decided those were thoughts best not entertained in a room full of people and Jack. Your mind kept turning the kiss and your feelings over and over, trying to decide how to feel about it. It was amazing and terrifying, it shouldn’t have happened and you wanted it to happen again and again.

**Author's Note:**

> Feedback and kudos are always appreciated :)


End file.
